It's all fun and games for county canine unit German shepherd
Once he gets a hit on the marijuana, Feist can move on to his real obsession: a canvas chew toy.
Feist, an 18-month-old German shepherd, is the newest of four canine units working for the Dorchester County Sheriff's Office. He and handler Lt. Mike Caudle are working through the process of forging a lasting partnership. With just under two months together, Feist already has shown he's ready to get to work.
"Every time I'm getting dressed (in uniform), he gets wound up and ready to go," said Caudle, the county's canine supervisor.
Police dogs perform several serious tasks, including drug searches, apprehensions, tracking or evidence recovery. Despite the job, the dogs characteristically react like it's a day full of recreation because at the end of every successful task is a reward.
"They enjoy all of it," said Pfc. Mike Files, another canine officer. "It's all a game to them. It's playtime. Even during an apprehension, they're having fun. They've got nothing against the guy (they're catching). They know they're getting a treat afterward."
Files said the quality that best defines a police dog is its inner drive.
"If you have a dog and you throw a ball and he just looks at it, then that's not what you're looking for," he said. "You want one who's ready to tear the earth up to get it."
Caudle joined the canine unit in 2003 because he's always had a love for dogs.
"Growing up, I was an avid deer hunter, and my dad always had deer hounds. I grew up with dogs in the house," he said.
Feist is Caudle's fourth canine partner after his most recent, Roska, died from a stomach ailment when he was close to retirement. It was a big loss for Caudle.
"With a patrol dog, he's like a pet. You grow a strong bond with them," Caudle said. "I prefer to look at the good stuff. He tracked and apprehended a lot of suspects."
Feist is nearly done with his initial training, but he and Caudle will spend several hours each Tuesday through the rest of his career honing his skills. Police dogs have an average career of five to nine years, depending on the athleticism of the dogs.
When a dog reaches retirement, the handler is given the first opportunity to keep it as a pet.
"Or we offer them up to another handler or try to find another police officer who will take them," he said. "We don't want to give them to someone in the general public for liability reasons. If the dog thought the owner was in trouble, he's still trained to react."
Reach Bill Henley at 937-5433 or bhenley@postandcourier.com.
